The Grim Defeat
by jessibelle francesca
Summary: Oliver Wood and his team loses to the Hufflepuffs in the first game of the Quidditch season. His girlfriend is on the Hufflepuff team. How's his reaction to this?
1. The Train Ride

::an:: I wrote this story because I had a little curious mind about Oliver's love life and what would happen if his love interest was on a different Quidditch team.::

::disclaimer:: I do not own any of these characters… as you would have guessed.  Well, the Harry Potter characters, anyway.  The name Claire Montgomery I got from that movie, _Go!_  Anyway, on with the story, I guess.::

      Oliver Wood sat impatiently in one of the compartments of the Hogwarts Express.  He did the foot-tapping thing, the head bobbing, and jumping-up-and-down thing.  There was no doubt that Oliver had anticipated seeing his girlfriend of three years, Claire Montgomery.  They both were entering their last year at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  Oliver was a Gryffindor and Claire a Hufflepuff.

      The compartment door opened as Oliver quickly shot up from his seat, only to slump back down as his Quidditch team (minus Harry) walked in.

      "Hey, Oliver.  Whatcha doing here all by yourself?  Shouldn't Claire be in here with you?" Fred Weasley asked, sitting next to Oliver.

      "I'm just waiting for her.  She should be here soon, though.  I wonder if she's still with her Hufflepuff friends.  I wonder if she's bringing them here," Oliver answered.

      "It wouldn't be that bad to have them around, though.  I like Claire and her friends.  They all seem pretty nice," Alicia Spinnet said.

      "They do, don't they?" Katie Bell added.

      "Well, she should be here soon, I hope," Oliver sighed.  Just then, the door opened once more, only two figures walked in—a redhead and a blonde.  

      "Oliver, we'd better go—"George, Fred's twin brother, whispered in Oliver's ear.

      "—Before Percy blinds us to death with his *shiny* Head Boy badge," Fred finished for his brother.  The five fifth years greeted the two older students and left the compartment.

      "Hey, Wood," Percy beamed, sitting next to Oliver.  Penny sat next to him.

      "Nothing much.  I'm just waiting for Claire.  Have any of you seen her?" Oliver asked, his hands covering his face.

      "I have.  She was in a compartment with some Hufflepuffs.  I talked to her and she said that she'd be here soon, Oliver," Penny explained.

      "Oh, well, that's good, then.  I guess," he responded.

      "What's wrong?" Percy asked.

      "Nothing really.  I just really miss her."     

      "Aw, that's so sweet.  But didn't you send an owl to her during the holidays?" Penny said.

      "No, we were both too busy to write to each other.  What with me and my Quidditch plans and her and vacationing to America, we just couldn't find the time to," Oliver told the couple.

      "Well, okay then," Percy said, simply.  Then, the train rattled as the wind and rain blew harder.  The lamps in the compartment flickered and then completely blacked out as the train stopped.

      "What's going on?" a very frightened Penny asked.  She was clinging on the Percy and vice versa.  

      "I don't know.  Maybe we're already at Hogwarts," Oliver quivered.

      "No, we can't be.  It's too early to arrive at school," Percy chuckled nervously.

      "Is it getting cold in here?" Oliver asked the two.

      "I thought I was the only one freezing, but I guess it is getting colder," Penny replied.  After a few minutes wondering fearfully about what was happening, the lights turned back on and the Hogwarts was moving again.

      "What was that about?" Percy questioned as he and Penelope let go of each other.

      "Dunno," Oliver answered him as the door opened once again.  A tall brunette walked into the compartment and sat on the other side of Oliver.

      "Hey, guys.  Sorry I came late.  I would've come sooner, but it was pitch black in our compartment and the train stopped.  So, then my friends and I were kinda scared and I didn't really wanna move.  But I am here now, and I terribly sorry that I came late," Claire expressed, tucking loose hair behind her ear.  She kissed Oliver on the cheek and hugged him. 

 "I missed you," she said sincerely.

      "I missed you, too," Oliver said back.

      "I got you something from America.  Actually, I got all of you guys something from America.  Some of them are muggle products, but I don't think you guys would mind—would you?" Claire spoke in a rush to her three friends.

      "No, we wouldn't mind," Penny retorted.

      "Did you get the letter for Head Girl, Claire?" Percy inquired curiously.

      "Yes, I did.  I got it a few days after I came home from my vacation," she responded.

      "Well, where's you badge?  I wanted to see it."

      "Percy, you have a Head Boy badge.  It's practically the same—except that mine reads HG, not HB," Claire giggled at her friend's inquiry.

      "You're Head Girl?" Oliver asked her.

      "Yeah, Percy didn't tell you?" she asked back.

      "No.  Why didn't you write to me about it?"

      "Why didn't you write to me during the summer?"

      "Well, I thought that we agreed we didn't need to write to each other because we were going to be busy during the summer," he timidly spoke.

      "Okay then.  I am sorry I didn't write to you about me getting the letter for Head Girl.  I just didn't want to bother you about it.  Rather, I wanted to surprise you," Claire apologized.

      The four got into a conversation on the new school year and about what had happened prior to Claire's arrival.  Then, the Hogwarts Express came to a stop again, this time with the lights on.  So, they all stood up and got out of the train.  They waited for a carriage, which brought them to the castle.  

      Once at the castle, they split ways to their different house tables.  They dined at the Welcome Back feast after the Sorting Hat took place.  After the feast, Claire and Oliver found their way back to each other and said their goodbyes.  Then, they headed for their different house towers.

::How is it so far?  Does it suck?  Well, review it, but please don't flame me.  I spent so much time pondering the thought of making this fic real, looking for inspiration from different Oliver Wood fan fictions, and wondering if someone did this idea already.  If you did this idea, I am sorry that I took it from you…I _am_ a biter…but not in a bad way…  Well, review it and tell me if I should continue.  Thanks a bunch.::


	2. Schedule Swapping

::Chapter two of The Grim Defeat.  I stole a quote from Sean Biggerstaff, but I don't think he would mind, as he probably is too busy to read fan fictions about his character in the movies.  And if he did, he probably wouldn't be reading this—but still, I give him credit for it, as it _is_ his words, not mine.::

      It was the next day and it seemed to be a brighter day than the previous.  Claire sat in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace in the Hufflepuff common room.  She read a book she bought in America, _Ender's Shadow_ by Orson Scott Card.  She had read _Ender's Game _during the previous year.

      As she was finishing a chapter, her friends Cedric Diggory, Amy Bones, Zoë Langston, and Artemis Jenkins had startled her with their noise, as it was silent in the common room.  Amy, Zoë, and Artemis were seventh years too.

      "Oh, good morning, you lot," Claire greeted them, tearing her attention away from the book.

      "Good morning, Claire," they answered back.

      "We're going to go eat some breakfast.  Are you gonna come with us?" Amy asked.

      "It is crucial you do come, because we are gonna discuss new tactics for the new season over breakfast.  We can't stand to lose anymore games," Cedric explained.  As he was voted last year as Hufflepuff captain, it was his responsibility to make sure his team was prepared.

      "Oh, hush now, Cedric.  You are beginning to sound just like Oliver," Claire laughed.  She was on the Quidditch team with Cedric.  Zoë, Artemis, and Amy were on the team, as well, along with two other fifth years. 

      "Well, I can't help it.  This year, we'll at least have to win one game," Cedric expressed.

      "Okay, I'll come down for breakfast.  But promise you'll wait for me.  I have to change into my robes and put away my book," Claire said, getting up from her seat to her dormitories.

      After a while, she came back down to rejoin her friends.  Two more were added to the group: Anthony Higgins and Cliff Abbott.  They all walked down to the Great Hall together, talking rapidly about their plans for the season.  They were interrupted, though, when four figures called two of their own from behind.

      "CLAIRE!  ARTEMIS!" Penny screeched to the two.  All seven Hufflepuffs took a look from behind them to see Penny waving her hand quickly as Oliver, Percy, and a black-haired girl stared at her with humiliated glances.

      "Hey, guys," Claire and Artemis responded as the four walked up to them.

      "Good morning, love," Artemis said, kissing the black-haired girl.

      "Hi," she giggled.  She was Courtney Chang, Cho Clang's 7th year Ravenclaw sister.  

      "Hi, Ollie," Claire smiled, hugging Oliver.

      "Hey, my little *Golden Snitch*," Oliver responded.

      "Oliver?"

      "Yes, my dear *Bludger*?"

      "Please don't refer to me as one of the Quidditch balls," Claire explained to him as Oliver chuckled.

      "All right, I learned my lesson."

      "Thank you," she said as all of them entered the Great Hall together.  Then, they all split up to their own tables to eat breakfast and receive their new school schedules.

      After their breakfast, Claire accompanied Penny, Artemis, and Courtney to the Gryffindor table to meet up with Percy and Oliver.

      "Can I see your schedule?" Claire asked Oliver once she found an empty seat across from him.

      "Sure, but I'll have to look at yours," he replied.

      "Here you go," she said, taking the piece of parchment out Oliver's hand.

      "Muggle Studies?  Aren't you muggle, Claire?" Oliver questioned.

      "No, not really.  My step-dad's half muggle, so I know some of the muggle lifestyle.  But he doesn't really like to talk about _being_ muggle," Claire explained.

      "It's a good thing that your dad doesn't talk to my dad then," Percy chortled.

            While studying everyone's schedule, Claire noticed that she and Oliver had three classes together; Percy and Oliver had four, Claire and Penny one, Penny and Courtney, three classes, and Percy and Claire, mostly all classes.  All of Claire's friends in Hufflepuff shared most of the same classes with her, also.  They all headed for their classes and their first and fun day of actual schooling.

      When the school day was over, everyone headed for the Great Hall for dinner.  All of the students were already fatigued by the first day.  Mostly everyone had Transfiguration homework and a Potions essay to write.  

      "How were all your classes, guys?" Claire asked with a feeble voice.  Her head rested on her arm that was on the table.  

      "Not that bad.  Yours?" Cedric answered.

      "All right, I guess.  I wish I didn't take so many," she said back to him.

      "Well, no one has had more classes than that Hermione Granger.  Hannah Abbott and my sister, Susan, told me that she had doubled up on classes for one time slot," Amy explained.

      "Well, maybe she got it sorted out, you know.  She's such a smart girl and probably found a way to do that.  Anyway, she's got her priorities straightened.  She's pretty much misunderstood, but still, has her path of life worked out for her," Claire said.

      "Are you going to eat anything, Claire?" Artemis asked.

      "No, I'm not feeling hungry right now.  Well, I'll be going to meet Oliver now," Claire said, getting up from her seat and walking to the Gryffindor table.  

      "Well, come up in about ten minutes!  Quidditch plans!" Cedric shouted at her.  

      "So, how was your day?" Oliver asked as he offered Claire a seat next to him.  She turned down his offer with a light wave of her hand.

      "It was pretty good—kinda tiring, though.  Some parts of the day I hate.  Snape put me on he spot just for switching seats with Constance Beaufort, who was sitting next to Percy.  He asked me a question on making a potion for curing a bite from a grindylow.  I put him in is place, though.  I got the ingredients and process of making the potion right.  Then, he took off five points from Hufflepuff for showing off," Claire explained.

      "Well, I had it pretty bad, as well.  Professor McGonagall gave us a pop quiz on Transfiguration.  I don't remember the last time I've been so confused," Oliver embarrassedly remarked.

      "Let's just hope that you did good, okay?"  Claire looked at her watch and spoke once more, this time hurriedly.  "Oh, Ollie, I have to go now.  I am so sorry.  I have to meet with the rest of my Quidditch team to discuss plans.  Cedric wants us to try to be better."

      "All right.  I'll speak to you later," Oliver said as Claire stood up and joined her Hufflepuff friends.

      "You really didn't want to let her go, did you, Oliver?" Percy whispered in his best friend's ear.

      "No, not really," Oliver sighed.

      "Well, you're going to have to get used to letting her go.  I don't mean to sound like a discourager, but she is quite busy this year.  Prefect and Head Boy and Girl meetings, Quidditch practices, tutoring sessions, school, homework—I wonder how the woman can do it all," Percy expressed as it suddenly hit Oliver.

      "Do you think that she would have time for me?" he asked, looking back at his best mate's face.

      "Of course she will—just not a lot.  Look, I was just making a guess as to Claire's schedule.  Don't believe me…" 

      "Whatever you say, Perce," Oliver pathetically chuckled.  Then, they resumed to their dinner.

::Okay, sorry about this but, this is a bit long, so I'll have to cut this chapter short…Sorry.  And Artimis is a guy—not to be confused with Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt …:: 


	3. About Quidditch

::Okay, this is sort of what happens after Percy's conversation with Oliver.  I am sorry that I had to cut it—So here goes…  Oh, and Artemis and Courtney are going out::

      "So, what you got planned for us, Captain?" Artemis asked as all seven members of the team walked up the staircase leading to the Hufflepuff Tower.

      "I don't want to say anything yet.  Who knows—there could be Slytherins, Ravenclaws, or even Gryffindors sneaking up around here—no offense to Oliver, Claire," Cedric explained, looking left to right for other House students.

      "Ced, you really _do_ sound like Oliver, now.  Please, relax before you start spending all your nights sitting in the corner of the common room, playing with diagrams of our team and others like Oliver does," Claire giggled.  

      "Oliver really does that?" Amy asked, bewildered.  She stopped dead on her tracks.

      "Yes, he does.  Why?" Claire stopped as well.  They were halfway up the stairs.

      "I always thought you were joking when you told us that," Amy whispered to her as the others walked past them.

      "Come on, you girls!  This is important!" Cedric beckoned to them.  The girls giggled and rushed to catch up with their friends.

Once up the stairs and in front of the Portrait Hole to the Hufflepuff common room, Claire was next to Cedric, talking strictly prefect business.  Claire looked up at the portrait of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, in a silk, white dress on and an elegant garden with a night sky backdrop.

"Cheesy badger," she muttered to the goddess of love as the portrait hole opened and revealed canary and black furniture taking its place near the fireplace.  Claire situated herself on the black armchair on the right-hand side of the fireplace.

"Okay, everyone, let's all be seated.  We need to discuss this season and our plans," Cedric said as he faced his back at the fireplace and faced his team assembled on the couch, other armchair, and ground.  "Let's start with suggestions to make our team better this year."

"Well, we could train harder with different tactics," Anthony said.

"Yes, that's the obvious ticket, but what else can we do?"

"Well, I've got a plan.  See, I've been studying these diagrams of Oliver's and it was how the Slytherins and Ravenclaws move.  Now, I don't want to copy Oliver's team, but if we try our best to at least remember how every other team played last year, chances are they'd do the same thing this year," Claire explained as everyone nodded their head in agreement.

"That's a good idea," Artemis spoke.

"I agree.  Okay, so we can do that.  Any other suggestions?" Cedric said as everyone looked at each other.  "No suggestions?  Well, then, let's just end this meeting right now.  If anyone _has_ suggestions, just meet up with me and we'll bring it up on our practices.  All right, good night, team." 

"Good night, Cedric," they all said to him.  Claire was about to go up to the bedchambers when Cedric stopped her.

"Claire, can I talk to you?" he asked, grasping her arm so she stayed.

"Yes?" she answered, turning around.

"I would appreciate it if none of our Quidditch business reached Wood.  You know his strive and ambition.  Please, please don't tell anything," Cedric requested.

"Cedric, you have known me how long?  I have been on the same team as you how many years?  And have I once slipped a word of information about Quidditch to Oliver?  Have I?" Claire asked, sternly, yet pleasantly.

"No, you haven't," he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

"Okay, then.  There is no need to worry, Ced.  Oliver will not hear anything about anything concerning our team," she reassured him.

"All right.  Good night, Claire," Cedric said, patting her shoulder.

"Good night, Ced," she said back to him, heading to the dormitories.

      On the Saturday of the second week of school, Hufflepuff had their first practice in the afternoon.  Claire arrived at the Quidditch field at one thirty with Amy and Zoë.  They were talking about the usual teenage girl pap—boys.  When they got there, the boys of the team were waiting on the field, impatiently.  

      "Sorry we're late, boys," Zoë sighed, as the girls giggled to themselves.

      "All right, don't let it happen again," Cedric said, letting the tardiness of three of his teammates slide.

      "So what are we doing today?" Anthony asked as all of them mounted their brooms.

      "Well, I was thinking about putting to life this play that Claire, Artemis, and I came up with," Cedric explained.

      "Okay, let's see it," Cliff said, as everyone kicked off the ground.

Once in the air, Artemis took his place in front of the goal posts as Cliff, Cedric, and Amy acted as the Ravenclaw chasers.  Anthony, Zoë, and Claire passed the Quaffle to each other, keeping it out of reach of the amateur chasers and weaving around them.  As Anthony was about to throw the Quaffle into the posts, Artemis blocked it off and Cedric caught it.  But, it was cleverly taken away by Zoë, who passed it on to Claire to aim it for the posts.  The ball passed by an inattentive Artemis.  When the ball went through the hoops, Claire, Anthony, and Zoë hooted gleefully.  

Then, Cedric took the ball and passed it to an open Amy.  She wove around Claire and Anthony as Zoë tried to block her.  It was a hopeless attempt on Zoë's part as the ball was kept securely in Amy's hands, passed off to Cliff, and he threw the ball to the hoop, as Artemis was, again, unable to block the shot.

The whole practice went on like that.  Cedric and Anthony raced to find the Snitch before each other to strengthen Cedric's skill of the Seeker.  Cliff and Amy did their Bludger hitting and everyone had even practice for their spot.  When their practice was over at 2:30, the team washed themselves in the locker rooms, changed out of their Quidditch robes and into casual clothing, and then lied on the grass of the field, studying and talking about the clouds.

"That one looks kinda like a hippogriff," Cliff laughed, reminding himself of the Draco/hippogriff incident, which his sister, Hannah, told him about.

"I like that one—it looks like a Snitch," Cedric chuckled, pointing to one way above the hippogriff cloud.

"You and your Snitches," Amy giggled. 

"That one looks like—" Claire started.

"OLIVER!" Artemis interrupted.  He was the only one sitting up to see Oliver walking to the group of seven.  

"That doesn't look like Oliver. I was about to say it looked like—"

"No, Oliver's here," Artemis said to her, pointing at the Scottish Gryffindor.  Claire sat up as well, easily founding her beau, smiled, and waved at him.

"You invited him over here?" Cedric asked, getting up, too.

"Yes, I did.  But I told him to come at three o'clock.  I thought you lot would clear off after practice," Claire rebottled nicely.

"Well, okay then.  Just remember what we discussed.  We'll be giving you your privacy with Prince Charming now," Cedric joked as Claire slapped him lightly on his arm.  

The six of her teammates stood up and left her lying on the ground by herself.  When Oliver passed them, they greeted one another and walked to the Quidditch shed to store their broomsticks.

"Hey, Claire," Oliver said, taking a seat next to her.

"Hi, Oliver," she answered back, kissing him on the cheek.

"So, how was the first practice of the season?" 

"Tiring, but I guess I have to get used to it.  I reckon Cedric is turning into a Hufflepuff version of you, Ollie.  He's so crazed on at least winning one game this season," Claire giggled.

"Really?  Just one game?  Your team is getting very better nowadays, I think you'd give us other teams a run for our money," Oliver laughed; not noticing Claire shifted her eyes from him to the ground.  

"What's the matter?" he asked when he looked at his girlfriend stare sadly at the ground.

      "Nothing at all, really," she whispered, privately wishing Oliver didn't want to talk more about Quidditch.  _But knowing him, he would be on the subject forever_, she thought to herself.

      "But something's wrong, I—"

      "Look, Oliver, nothing's wrong.  And if there was something wrong, I would've told you, correct?" she said to him.

      "I guess.  But, if there is something you'd like to talk about, you know that I am always here, right?" he told her, as Claire just nodded.

"I'd better go now.  I'll see you later, okay?" Oliver said, standing up.

      "Yeah, sure," Claire answered to him as Oliver walked off.  Claire looked up at the sky and said to herself, "Always the same, damn, Oliver Wood.  Can't seem to think about anything but Quidditch.  Always talks about Quidditch!"

      Then, she got up and walked to the castle to rest.

::Please, please review my story.  I'd really love it if you did.  Thanks a bunch…::


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